This is Awkward.

Yup, finally after a really long time I somehow have the inclination to blog again. Whoopdie do.

So much has happened in the meantime, yet due to exams I havent been able to write anything about them. Elections, exams, exam results, after exam antics, PTM, the list goes on.

Post-exam periods are confusing times. After weeks of studying and studying, everyone is suddenly pulled out of their cocoon and left there, standing with a textbook in one hand, an utterly flummoxed look on their face, wondering "What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

The answer at first seems easy; Play your ***** ass off.

But after the initial week of mindless, endless and utterly consuming computer time and the occasional mahjong game thrown in, I'm still left lying on the sofa wondering whether there is anything left to do.

And then comes along the Parent Teacher Meeting. Oh joy.

PTM, probably one of the most terrible yet enjoyable events a youth goes through. This paradox is due to the two possible results that can ensure when your teacher finally meets the unfortunate pair whose offspring sits in his or her class with that stoned look on his face.

Outcome 1:

The teacher, tragically and most unfortunately, confirms your parents suspicions that their son is indeed a completely lazy, feckless layabout, who sleeps in class, has no potential whatsoever, is doomed to fail, socially inept, whose only possible future ends with mediocrity, self-destruction, and and ultimately death.

Outcome 2:

The teacher, surprisingly and thankfully, refutes your parents suspicions that their son is indeed a completely lazy, feckless layabout, who sleeps in class, has no potential whatsoever, is doomed to fail, socially inept, whose only possible future ends with mediocrity, self-destruction, and and ultimately death.

He or she goes on to say that you are indeed working hard, putting in effort, handing up homework and getting good grades, to which your parents will laugh lightly, and look at you suspiciously as if you somehow managed to bribe/blackmail your teacher into shamelessly praising you and that "we know what you're up to, you deceiving spawn".

Ahem.

Thankfully, that event is over, without too much damage, although through the recommendations of some teachers, I may spend the rest of my school years doing math exercises wherever I go. Oh, and reading Chinese stories too.

Oh well, life goes on. People live. People die. People sit around wondering what to do and end up taking a nap instead.

Raaaaaaaaaaaaaainbow.

Just some memories from Kluang, albeit some help with Microsoft Paint *cough*

Malaysia And Mahjong

Thanks to my recent trip to Malaysia, I am completely rested, rejuvenated, and addicted to mahjong.

Currently my head is still filled with the sounds of tiles being smacked together.

"PONG ARH!!!!"

Mahjong is fascinating. Somehow anything u do has great impact on your or another player's chances of victory. The possibilities are endless yet limited at the same time.

Well I've really enjoyed my latest trip to Malaysia, sadly, I have to get back to school and life in Singapore.

That being said, I'd like to say something for future reference.

Firstly and most importantly:

I am not an idiot.

When I have something serious to say about somebody, a person I know, I say it to their face.

Unless its a joke or a light-hearted comment, I say it to that person's face.

Secondly, I am not a complete fool. If I feel that someone is being treated undesirably, I don't say anything. Its up to that person to decide for him or herself what he wants to do about it. I keep my mouth shut but my eyes and ears open.

Thank you.

Keep that in mind now.

Rugby final tomorrow, hoping for a win so that we'll get a holiday......*please oh please*

Had an interesting discussion with Daryl, Mr Moghan and to a lesser extent, Harrison today in the Library.

We talked about religion and science, faith, odd religions, school, blogging, rugby etc, while Harrison sat next to us and looked at car magazines.

The conversation went on somewhat like this:

Daryl: *interesting insights and viewpoints etc etc*

Mr Moghan: *interesting stories about odd religions including one which worships a teapot*

GH: *extremely cynical viewpoints interrupted occasionally by random outburst about something completely unrelated*

Harrison: Fiat. Fiat Idea.

*all look at Harrison*

No comment man.

I shall take notes during the rugby final tomorrow, in the event of any biting/head-stomping/flag-stealing/fighting at the match.

Should take my mind off the monotony of sitting there and alternating between a half-hearted cheer and bitching about having to be there.

Huzzah.

The Rugger and the Blogger.

Well today we witnessed a blogger getting punished for making inappropriate comments about the school on his blog, supposedly regarding the timetable and fund-raising.

With all due respect though, I have a question.

Why is it that while this blogger has been punished for his actions, the rugby player, who was recently featured in the newspapers for foul play, has not been treated the same?

I mean, really, I'm not trying to offend anyone or be confrontational here, but let's review the facts, or at least what we know.

The blogger made bad comments about the school, which were probably unsubstantiated with evidence, yes, therefore some censure might have been in order.

On the other hand, we have someone who stomped on a another player's head and bit another person's cheek. Curiously though, even until now, he remains anonymous and in fact the incident has not even been acknowledged by the school.

In terms of punishment befitting the crime, I'd think that most people would agree with me that the rugby player probably deserves more punishment than the blogger. After all, his actions and school were published in the newspapers, and even now parents are outraged etc etc, over that particular incident.

Again, I must admit that we may not know the full circumstances of the rugby incident. He may have been provoked or it may have been a mistake. However, if that is the case, I'd think that the school should clarify any doubts and give an account of what happened from our team's viewpoint.

I mean, it is understandable if the reason the school had wished to keep the player's name anonymous was to prevent the media from publishing it. But I think that the school should at least explain the incident fully so that we at least have a clear picture of what happened.

Back in school, I politely (I hope) put this question to the two prefects that came to get our views for the student forum. The answer was less than satisfactory, but then again I presume that the prefects don't really know much more than we do.

Again, I'm not trying to be offensive, or disrespect anyone, I just feel that this a relevant question that needs to be answered.

Good luck with exam preparations all.

It occured to me that my self-esteem would improve had I not added a cbox to this blog.

I think I had something I wanted to say on this blog, but I was just stunned speechless by the fact that two girls sang a song to promote their cheese puffs to the tune of "My Humps".

So lets just discuss how our assemblies are getting more interesting.

Walking Away.

Night had fallen, and various people were walking the streets, eager to just go home and get some rest. The street buzzed with the sounds of cars, buses and motorcycles, while stone-faced people sat at bus stops, staring off into space.

A boy had been standing on the street for quite a while now. Just standing, staring off into the distance, gaze never wavering. The cars whizzed by him, ignoring this solitary figure at the side of the road.

After a while more, a man walked up to him.

"Hey you," he called.

The boy turned.

"You've been standing here for a long time you know, can I ask what are you looking at?"

The boy looked at him with a sad smile. He just looked at the stranger for a moment, then he spoke.

"I'm watching that group of students," he said, gesturing at a small crowd of teenagers walking towards the nearby MRT station, "our school sent us for a conference near here, and now its over."

"And why are you watching them?"

"Because they are together," The boy said wistfully, "because they came separately but they're leaving together." "Unlike me," he added as an afterthought.

"Then why don't you join them?"

"Because I don't know them. Because I'll just be walking near to them and not walking with them. Because the way to my home lies the other way," the boy jerked his head in the other direction.

"Then what happened to your friends?"

"They left."

"Oh."

"Its okay," he shrugged, "they have their own things to do."

He paused, "Only that I would have liked the company."

"I suppose...at least you can still go back to your family."

"I suppose....They went out for dinner, I told them not to wait up for me."

"Oh."

"Its okay," he shrugged again.

After a moment's pause, he continued, "Its just that I feel sorry."

"Sorry? For what?"

"Well," the boy paused.

"I'm sorry because as I stood here watching, I realised that at one point or more in my life, there has been someone who has been watching me, watching me walk away, surrounded by friends, while he or she stands there alone, just as I am now standing alone."

"........"

"And I also feel sad."

"Sad?"

"Sad. Because I have also realised that by the next time I have the privilege of leaving with my friends, the privilege of being able to exchange stories with someone as we walk towards a bus stop or MRT station, the privilege of talking and laughing with someone before the bus or MRT arrives..."

"By that time, I'll have forgotten about the time I stood there alone, the time I stood alone while everyone else walked away, and by that time, I will have forgotten the person who will be standing there alone as I walk away as well."

"I see."

"No, you don't."

"Perhaps."

The boy continued to stand there, until the students in the distance had disappeared. He then felt obliged to say something else.

"And what about you?"

Silence greeted him.

The boy turned.

The space where the man had been was empty, and once more the boy was alone at the the side of the road.

The boy sighed, and his gaze fell to his feet.

Abruptly, he turned and started to walk away, walking until he was sure that no one was around to see his face break.